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WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

Trevelyan
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎21-12-2012

WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

I was delighted to be offered connection to the new fibre service by Plusnet. BUT...
The experience has become very sour.  I have seen one or two other posts relating to Plusnet failure to connect to fibre and offer this new post particularly to other customers considering moving to fibre when its available.
PLUSNET ARE UNABLE TO INFLUENCE OR INSTRUCT BT OPENREACH TO PRIORITISE FAILED INSTALLATIONS.  The BT Openreach technician attended on the agreed date, 17/12/12, to upgrade my service.  He moved the Mastersocket that was previously installed when I switched from Sky to BT ADSL service in 2009.  He claimed that it was the culprit for the fault preventing fibre connection.  He left without making the connection and said that he could not restore the ADSL service that was working perfectly before he arrived.
PLUSNET DO NOT CHECK PREVIOUS ACCOUNT RECORDS BEFORE CALLING TO WASTE YOUR TIME
When I called Plusnet to complain they said that a BT technician would return to resolve the problem within 72 hours.  I was unhappy about this but at least we would back on the internet before Christmas.  Later that evening (I was away from home) technical support staff called my wife and daughter and took them through a fault finding process based on ADSL connections.  A frustrating experience and complete waste of time because the support staff had not checked my account properly.  The full details of the problem had been recorded by the first Plusnet call earlier that day.
PLUSNET CANNOT KEEP FAULT REPAIR PROMISES - THEY ARE ENTIRELY IN BT'S HANDS
It has been over 100 hours since reporting the failed upgrade and Plusnet have failed to provide any technical resolution to the problem.  Indeed they have failed to provide any technical support at the exchange, street box or my home to put this right.  The earliest date they can provide for someone to attend and resolve the fault is 27 December.  The people you talk to on the telephone are simply telephone jockeys.  They have no power to get a prioritised repair, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSING THE SERVICE.
PLUSNET CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NO MORE HONEST THAN ANY OTHER FAILING PROVIDER
Whilst it is a benefit to talk to someone who is fluent in your own language, it does not increase their competence, openness or truthfulness.  They keep telling me they are seeking to 'expedite' my repair.  The use of that word is a joke after over fours days without broadband service.  Then they say that they are trying to 'bring forward' my service repair from the 27 Dec 2012.  Any date after the planned installation date 17 Dec is a failure.  It is a delay, not an expedition especially when the previously working ADSL service has not been restored.  They will promise to call you and fail; they will tell you that they are waiting for confirmation of a new BT technician appointment any minute, none ever occurs; they will tell you they are talking to a supervisor - nothing improves; they will tell you that they are escalating it to a 'Fault'.  ALl the time they are simply stalling you when NOTHING is happening to restore your broadband service
PLUSNET CUSTOMER SERVICE HAVE NO SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY OR IMAGINATION TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE
They are closely related to (owned by?) BT.  But they cannot provide a BT Fon account to help maintain (albeit limited) internet connection to manage emails and simple browsing.  Even when they have responsibility for a major failure they prefer to argue that they are doing their best rather than honestly explaining that non-BT ISP customers will ALWAYS get second rate treatment compared to BT customers.  They will tell you that you are not entitled to a guaranteed service; that when the fault is repaired they will adjust charges for the days without service.  They will not commit to reimbursing all the incidental costs to keep calling them (0800 calls from mobile are not free).  They will not discuss how they will compensate you for all of the hurt and injury arising from their neglect.  They tell you that as its close to Christmas they are struggling to get a technician appointment BUT do not acknowledge the massive impact of loss of service when all the family is home for the most important event of the year with their smart phones, laptops and tablets.  And NO internet service!
PLUSNET, BT Openreach and fibre = BIG FAIL
Angry Angry Angry Angry Sad Sad Sad Sad

10 REPLIES 10
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,574
Thanks: 5,408
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

I totally understand your frustration and yes, your contract is with PlusNet and you expect them to provide a service.
The problem is however that all ISP's ( including BT Retail ) who use the BT wholesale network are dependent on them and BT Openreach to provide the service.
Normally in business, when your supplier fails to deliver, you can bring pressure to bear to expedite or if the problem persists, in most cases you can ultimately change suppliers. In an ISP's case there is no alternative , they are at the mercy of BTw & Openreach and have no means to pressurise BTw and Openreach to do anything since there is no SLA on BTw and Openreach for the provision of Broadband. 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

For reference Plusnet can be contacted on 03451400200 - I think that will be free on your mobile.
The number is listed on the website here: http://www.plus.net/home-broadband/contact/
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
Trevelyan
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎21-12-2012

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

FAILED FIBRE UPDATE - 28 December 2012
(I am sorry jelv but your suggestion to phone Plusnet support when my posting clearly describes my many calls to them is ignorant, patronising and a waste of time and space.  If you have any real 'bright spark' ideas I'll be glad to hear from you.  Are you a Plusnet employee?)
So, the BT Openreach technician arrived on 27th December after ten days without any Broadband service.  He explained that his job was to fix the fault on the line and re-connect me to ADSL.  That he was not trained or qualified to do anything with the Fibre side of things that BT "were only training the younger guys on that".  He went out to the street cabinet and returned within 5 minutes.  He said that we were never connected to Fibre and that ADSL should still work.  Then he proceeded to test the line from the master socket.  All ADSL tests were okay and when we connected the Thompson modem it started first time.  He completed a remote line test with results okay too.  The technician left.  Clearly something had changed during his visit.
I waited to see if it remained connected and had to call Plusnet support about half an hour later when the service disconnected for a few minutes and the phone line also went dead, the same symptoms as last week.  The Plusnet support guy asssumed the technician must have also checked the connection at the exchange, causing this temporary dropped service.  He explained that the BT technician had reported at the end of his visit that the line was not correctly connected at the street cabinet, something he did not tell me at the time.  So it seems that at the failed Fibre install, 17 December, the technician has attempted to reconnect to the standard ADSL service but seriously cocked it up.  Then, during that week, Plusnet has switched me back to the ADSL line (though they didn't refund the additional charges for Fibre they had already made!).
I've been promised refund of charges for days without service.  Of course, I will be presenting them with the cost of all my phone calls (seriously expensive from mobile networks - about £4 per call!), the cost of connection to BT WiFi with Fon (neighbour's BT broadband!), and a request for compensation for injury to feeling and loss of the pleasure of the service at a criticial time of year.  It was extra-ordinarily disappointing for family members to be opening iPads and Apple TVs and to not be able to download any media or to do any browsing at all.  Our Christmas plans were certainly stuffed by Plusnet this year. 
Its good to be reconnected to Braodband, even if it is just ADSL.  Sad that I have to suffer the usual early days ADSL speed inconsistency (Speedtest 0.5 to 12 Mbps download within ten minute test period).  Just had a call back from Sean confirming that the Fibre install should now go ahead on 3 January. Fingers crossed!
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

Jeez!!
I was not being anything like you describe - I was addressing one specific point in your post:
Quote from: Trevelyan
They will not commit to reimbursing all the incidental costs to keep calling them (0800 calls from mobile are not free).

0345 numbers are included in contract mobile call plans and therefore will not cost you anything.
If that's the thanks I get, be assured that if I see any other ways you can save money I'll keep my mouth zipped!
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

Hi Trevelyan,
Sorry to see that you have had to join our community forum to vent this.
Reading through your post there is certainly some actions that could have been avoided when you lost your service and apologies for that.
I can see that your connection is still working and we have been able to expedite the fibre install to the start of January. I'll make sure that any downtime that you had is discounted to your bill, the priority is to get your fibre install sorted first. If you do have a contract mobile phone then the 0345 140 0200 is taken from your monthly allowance.
I'll keep an eye over this and the progress and make sure we are doing all we can to rectify the situation.
Chris

Trevelyan
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎21-12-2012

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

Chris, Thanks for your reassuring post.  It has been a very disappointing experience. And I've stumbled on the reason for all the problems.
Our ADSL line was reconnected with Broadband successfully on 27 December. Today, Sunday, 30 December, I completed the connection of a new phone and data extension to the BT Mastersocket (including VDSL I Plate) that was (unhelpfully) moved to a window frame at the front of the property.
When I connected the RJ11 lead from the extension data socket to the ADSL router it would not connect to broadband.  This was puzzling as I had strictly checked the wiring, used only Philex modular sockets and a professional quality IDC punch tool! I decided to double check that I was using the correct pins (4 and 5) for the secondary (RJ45) data socket.
Using a simple 9V circuit tester I inserted the RJ11 lead into the extension (RJ45) socket and probed the 'free end' RJ11 plug conductors (3 & 4) with the RJ45 socket IDC connectors.  Strangely whichever RJ11 conductor I probed BOTH IDC 4 AND 5 were live.  Shocked
As soon as I swopped the RJ11 lead the problem disappeared!  Grin
The RJ11 lead (supplied by the BT Openreach technician with the Fibre modem) was faulty!  I am informing you of this in case there is a faulty batch in circulation. This would have prevented a successful fibre test on setup AND also prevented reconnection of the ADSL modem/router.  It is very disappointing  that the BT technician did not eliminate this in his fault finding on 17 December.
We're looking forward to Fibre installation!  Cheesy
Trevelyan
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎21-12-2012

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

Dear jelv
Please accept my apologies.  In my red haze haste I misunderstood your posting.
Thanks for your good-humoured handling of my rude rejection of your offer of help.  I have changed my mobile contact number for Plusnet to the 0345 number now.  I only wish the support team had mentioned that when they knew I was calling them whilst away from home.
Thanks again.  I'm very sorry to have responded harshly to your unselfish gesture.
Trevelyan
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎21-12-2012

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

Very disappointed to discover that PN already knew there was a faulty batch of RJ11 cables - the most likely cause of my broadband demise!
Finally, we are connected to Fibre on 3 January.  Two BT technicians arrived; they moved the Mastersocket to a more convenient location; successfully completed a line test; 80Mbps download, 20Mbps upload; connected the BT Openreach modem and Plusnet TG582n router; presto, superfast broadband.  One call to Plusnet support to switch me over and I immediately achieved 75+Mbps download using ethernet cable to router.  When I asked about faults they explained that they simply connected my copper pair to the FTTC - no repairs or adjustments required.  It seems that the clown who came on 17 December was a contractor fulfilling extraordinary requirements as there have been nearly 60 fibre cabinets installed in Kings Lynn.
Within 12 hours the power supply for the TG582n failed and so I am using a spare (from BT HH2).  It is same plug, polarity and voltage with slightly higher current rating.  1.5Amp vs TG582 1Amp.  PN are sending me a replacement.
WiFi download speed is about 65Mbps.  Not sure why there has been such a fuss on forums about the TG582.  It also was easy to setup a network shared printer.  I'll keep my eye on it and post any different results over time.  I have a D-Link 615 router from my son's Uni house (ex Virgin) that is on standby!  I may finally invest in an Apple Airport Extreme router for the Gigabit ethernet speeds.
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
Thanks: 96
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

Good to hear that it finally all got sorted plus the bonus of top speeds and good wi-fi performance.
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
tijara33
Pro
Posts: 1,360
Thanks: 50
Fixes: 6
Registered: ‎22-06-2012

Re: WARNING - Failed Fibre Installation - Kings Lynn

Quote
Not sure why there has been such a fuss on forums about the TG582.

This is why I've binned 2x TG582n routers. The first result is using my Asus RT-N56U, the 2nd using my TG582n. Need I say more?Huh